This document outlines 75 launch tactics for acquiring customers with little to no marketing budget. It discusses tactics like posting on Reddit, creating content for sites like Hacker News, guest blogging, conducting customer development interviews, running contests on social media, and using referral programs. Many of the tactics suggest directly reaching out to influencers, competitors' followers, alumni networks, and targeted niche communities to promote a product or service. The document is intended to provide a wide range of low-cost and no-cost marketing ideas for startups and small businesses to acquire new customers.

1. 75 Launch Tactics to Acquire Customers*
Jesse Leimgruber
Created with love at
*With ZERO Marketing Budget

2. Who Am I?
European Innovation Academy | Page 1
Studied at Stanford University
Bootstrapped RageHats to $50k/month
Co-founded Rank Executives & NeoReach
Raised $4M in VC funding for NeoReach

3. Brands and agencies we’ve worked with.
European Innovation Academy | Page 2

4. STOP!
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

5. B2B COMPANIES
SHOULD DO
CUSTOMER
DEVELOPMENT
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

6. Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

7. Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

8. Credit for Customer Development to Nick o
Connor
Thank you for your time, my name is <> I work at <> we
are working on a new solution that helps companies like
yours do <>. I do not want to sell you anything but it
would be great to get your feedback now so that
when our product is ready to ship it will best meet
the needs of your company. before jumping into talking
about us, it is ok if I ask you some questions about you
so that I can get a better understanding of how our
solution can help you?

9. Keynote Title | Company | Page 1
• Can you tell me a little about what you are responsible for?
• How do you measure success?
• What are your top priorities right now?
• For each priority/ job ask.....
• What is the goal
• What are the biggest challenges you have had
• Can you tell me a little bit about the last time you had this problem?
• How often does this occur
• What is the current solution
• If you could wave a magic wand
• Repeat for top three priorities

10. Keynote Title | Company | Page 1
Articulate the problem statement
be silent, wait for customer first reaction.
then ask for feedback
how/if this resonates
where does it fit with their overall problems / needs

11. Keynote Title | Company | Page 1
Articulate the solution statement
be silent, wait for customer first reaction
then ask for feedback, is this clear to them what this means?
do they like it? why/ why not.
how would they find out about a solution like this?
who would be involved in the decision?
Who owns the budget, how big is it?
any one else doing this, why, why not?

12. Credit for Customer Development to Nick o
Connor | Page 1
Closing questions
Anything I should have asked but did not?
Do you know anyone who is an expert in this space?
Who else should I talk to?

13. Credit for Customer Development to Nick o
Connor | Page 1
Why?
Tell me more?
Can you tell me a time that happened?
What are the best and worst parts about?
Flow Tips

14. Launch Tactic #1: Reddit r/Startups
European Innovation Academy | Page 20
Reaches 85,000 Readers
Not all startups get featured
100+ Signups if you get featured
Better if you’re engaged on Reddit

15. Launch Tactic #2: App Sumo
Create a deal on AppSumo
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

16. Launch Tactic #3: StartupList
European Innovation Academy | Page 20
20-100 Expected Signups
Free if you wait, pay to skip the line
Smaller audience than BetaList
Good audience engagement

17. Launch Tactic #4: Social Share Buttons
Add social sharing buttons to your site
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

18. Launch Tactic #5: Throw a Launch Party
European Innovation Academy | Page 21
20-50 Expected
Direct user feedback
Good local or network startups
Requires planning and effort

19. Launch Tactic #6: StumbleUpon
Very easy input effort, results can be hit or miss
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

20. Launch Tactic #7: ProductHunt
European Innovation Academy | Page 21
400-800 expected signups
Free. Submission appears instantly
Best to submit at 12:01 PST
Requires whitelisted submitter

21. Launch Tactic #8: HackerNews
European Innovation Academy | Page 22
50-200+ expected signups
Free. Submission appears instantly
Better if you’re an active member
Submit under ShowHN section

22. Launch Tactic #9: Crunchbase
You should really do this anyway. Great for
investors and credibility.
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

23. Launch Tactic #10: scoop.it
Launch a topic relevant to your website
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

24. Launch Tactic #11: Blog Comments
Find a relevant blog, leave a comment on that blog
that subtly raises awareness for your product.
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

25. Launch Tactic #12: Show HN
Ask for feedback on Hackernews using their ShowHN forum
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

26. Launch Tactic #13: Meetup
European Innovation Academy | Page 22
Free. Can get great niche exposure
20+ Signups per event
Great for personal branding
Message meetup coordinators and
ask for speaking gigs at local events.

27. Launch Tactic #14: Speaking Gig
Film your speaking gigs and share videos of your
talks on your blog
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

28. Launch Tactic #15: Webinar
Hold ongoing webinars that answer common problems in your
industry, invite members from the community to join
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

29. Launch Tactic #16: Skill Share
Teach a class on Skill Share about your industry or
niche
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

30. Launch Tactic #17: General Assembly
Teach a class on GeneralAssemb.ly about your
industry or niche
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

31. Launch Tactic #18: Podcast
Start a podcast, ask existing podcasts to give a
shout out to your podcast
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

32. Launch Tactic #19: Influencer Tweet
European Innovation Academy | Page 23
100-1000+ expected signups
Free. Much easier if you pay
Find relevant, targeted influencers
Negotiate pricing and # of tweets

33. Launch Tactic #20: Guest Posts
European Innovation Academy | Page 21
Can be MAJOR exposure
Build a network of free traffic
Highly targeted traffic
Search: Keyword + “Write for us” + blog

34. Launch Tactic #21: Outreach
Reach out directly to target customers on LinkedIn
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

35. Launch Tactic #22: Competitor Research
Use tools like MajesticSEO to see who links to your
competitors, outreach to them
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

36. Launch Tactic #23: School Alumni
Contact school alumni on LinkedIn, leverage their
advice and assistance
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

37. Launch Tactic #24: Customer Development
Ask potential customers about their problems, propose your product
as a solution. Ask for their feedback and get them involved.
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

38. Launch Tactic #25: Press Article
European Innovation Academy | Page 24
250+ expected signups
Free, but time consuming
Difficult for very early stage
Usually requires introductions
Great for branding & long term visits

39. Launch Tactic #25: Press Article
European Innovation Academy | Page 24
Pinpoint a new journalist at a big publication, offer them an
exclusive on your content. Provide them with data that only
you have access to. Help the new journalist look good.
Compile a target list of 50. Write custom outreach emails.

40. Launch Tactic #26: Existing Traffic Analysis
See where your existing traffic comes from and build stronger
relationships with those sources. Look specifically for product lists,
blogs, or press that is already sending you traffic.
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

41. Launch Tactic #27: Facebook Pages
Build relationships with owners of popular Facebook pages, ask
them to promote a free contest or giveaway that you create.
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

42. Launch Tactic #28: Competitors Followers
Manually reach out to Twitter and Facebook
followers of your competitors
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

43. Launch Tactic #29: YouTube Giveaway
Giveaway your product for free to Youtube reviewers
and review bloggers
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

44. Launch Tactic #30: Quora
Respond to unanswered questions in your niche on
Quora
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

45. Launch Tactic #31: Reddit
European Innovation Academy | Page 24
Can yield 10k+ Clicks
Requires good user knowledge
Beware of being too spammy
Pick hyper-targeted subreddits
Engage in targeted forums on Reddit, share posts
and respond to others

46. Launch Tactic #32: Press Release
Submit a free press release using a service like
PRlog
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

47. Launch Tactic #33: Infographics & visual.ly
Create an infographic, share on free distribution sites
like visual.ly
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

48. Launch Tactic #34: Write a post called “Our
competitor vs Our Company”
This will attract search engine traffic looking for
reviews of competitor
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

49. Launch Tactic #35: Slideshare
Submit a presentation to Slideshare
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

50. Launch Tactic #36: e-book
Giveaway a free e-book, ask users to sign up to your
newsletter to download it.
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

51. Launch Tactic #37: How-to Guide
Create a “how-to” guide for something that is
typically difficult in your industry.
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

52. Launch Tactic #38: E-mail Signature
Promote your company in your E-mail signature.
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

53. Launch Tactic #39: Mailchimp
Launch an E-mail newsletter using a free service like
MailChimp.
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

54. Launch Tactic #40: Existing Newsletters
Get your startup featured on existing newsletters
such as Startupdigest.
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

55. Launch Tactic #41: Drip E-mail Marketing
Integrate a drip marketing campaign using a service
like intercom.io or Kickoff Labs
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

56. Launch Tactic #42: Landing Page
If you’re early stage, use Unbounce or any landing page tool and
design a simple single page that collects E-mail addresses.
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

57. Launch Tactic #43: Company Partnership
Partner with other companies in your space and
upsell each other’s products
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

58. Launch Tactic #44: BetaList
European Innovation Academy | Page 20
100-300 expected sign ups
Free if you wait, $99 to skip the line
Limited to pre-launch startups
Goes out to 25k+ early adopters

59. Launch Tactic #45: Groupon
Run a promotion on Groupon
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

60. Launch Tactic #46: Stack Social
Run promotions on StackSocial
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

61. Launch Tactic #47: Cross Promote on Newsletter
Cross promote each others brand on your E-mail
newsletters, twitter pages, etc.
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

62. Launch Tactic #48: Referral Program
Set Up a Referral Program, offer an incentive for
existing users to invite their friends
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

63. Launch Tactic #49: CopyBlogger Headlines
Consult copy bloggers attention grabbing headline
guides and write posts that fill those templates.
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

64. Launch Tactic #50: Twilighter
Encourage social shares by using a service like
Twilighter
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

65. Launch Tactic #51: Personalized E-mails
Send personalized E-mails to your existing users,
ask for their help promoting your company.
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

66. Launch Tactic #52: Crowdfunding
European Innovation Academy | Page 26
$10k-$100k in expected sales
Free, requires video production
Optimal for hardware startups
Helps get early press coverage

67. Launch Tactic #53: Hellobar
Use Hellobar as a call to action for a promotion
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

68. Launch Tactic #54: Customer Feedback
Invite your existing customers to provide feedback on the next version of your
product. You can send them a survey or a WuFoo form to do this easily.
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

69. Launch Tactic #55: Google Keyword Tool
Use the Google Keyword tool to identify high volume, low competition
keywords in your niche. Create content around those keywords
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

70. Launch Tactic #56: Niche Q/A
Determine what questions people in your niche are
asking, create blog posts answering those questions
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

71. Launch Tactic #57: Inbound Links from Blogs
Focus on getting high quality inbound links from
blogs, forums and press mentions
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

72. Launch Tactic #58: Keyword Optimized URL’s
Use SEO friendly URL’s
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

73. Launch Tactic #59: Keyword Optimized H1 & Title
Tags
Write good title tags and H1 tags
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

74. Launch Tactic #60: Submit XML Sitemap To Google
Submit an XML sitemap to Google webmaster tools
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

75. Launch Tactic #61: Add Alt-Text
Add alt-text and descriptions to all of your images.
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

76. Launch Tactic #62: Free Social Giveaway
Run a free promotion or giveaway if users follow you
on social media
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

77. Launch Tactic #63: Direct Message Thought
Leaders
Direct message thought leaders, interact with them,
congratulate them on their recent press, etc.
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

78. Launch Tactic #64: Trade shout outs
Trade shout outs with other companies and thought leaders. Accounts
with a similar social following to you will be more willing to cross promote.
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

79. Launch Tactic #65: Social Listening
Sign up for a service like Mention.com, respond to anyone that mentions
one your brand, one of your competitors, or asks a question about your
space.
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

80. Launch Tactic #66: Friends & Friends of Friends
European Innovation Academy | Page 25
10-50 Expected Signups
Free, requires being pushy
Very high engagement rates
Guaranteed to get initial traction

81. Launch Tactic #67: Never Launch
European Innovation Academy | Page 25
“We’re pre launch”
“We’re closed beta”
“We’re open beta”
“About to do our public launch”

82. Off The Record…
No Tweeting…
European Innovation Academy | Page 0
Press, Reddit, Conversion Rate & More

83. Slides 83-94 Redecated. Sorry :(
Keynote Title | Company | Page 1

84. Launch Tactic #75: FREE TRAFFIC CONTEST
European Innovation Academy | Page 28

85. Launch Tactic #75: FREE TRAFFIC CONTEST
European Innovation Academy | Page 28
The EIA team with the best landing page gets a free launch package.
• 100,000+ Users on social media exposed to your landing page
• Key influencers tweeting and sharing your content
• 100’s to 1000’s of clicks expected
To Enter: Send an Email with the title: “Launch Entry” to
Jesse@NeoReach.com and include the link to your landing page.

86. Get Ahold of Me
European Innovation Academy | Page 50
I’ll respond to every email from this event
Jesse@NeoReach.com
@JesseRank
JesseLeimgruber.com

87. www.neoreach.com | 407.123.4567 | 189 S. Orange Ave. Orlando, FL 32801